AMERICAN LEAGUE
Albert Pujols hit one of Los Angeles’ four home runs, while C.J. Wilson kept New York in check again as the Angels roughed up the road-weary Yankees 13-1 on Friday night.
Pujols hit homer No. 501 and Ian Stewart had a two-run shot off Hiroki Kuroda (2-2) for the majors’ top slugging squad. Erick Aybar connected for a three-run drive and Colin Cowgill went deep against Bruce Billings.
Wilson (3-2) gave up one run in six innings, the seventh time in eight starts he has held New York to two or fewer earned runs.
The Angels’ 35 homers is a club record for March and April and leads the majors. Pujols has a major-league-leading nine home runs.
Hank Conger had a pair of RBI doubles and a run-scoring single. Aybar reached base all five times and scored four runs. Howie Kendrick had three of the Angels’ 16 hits.
WHITE SOX 9, RAYS 6
In Chicago, Jose Abreu hit a game-winning grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning for his second home run of the night, rallying Chicago past Tampa Bay.
Evan Longoria’s two-run homer in the top of the ninth put the Rays ahead 6-4, but the White Sox were not done. Abreu’s drive off closer Grant Balfour (0-1) won it after Chicago pitchers combined for 11 walks Abreu, the rookie slugger from Cuba who signed a US$68 million, six-year contract in the off-season, finished with three hits and six RBIs.
Matt Joyce drew a team-record five walks for Tampa Bay, who chased Erik Johnson in the second inning.
Matt Lindstrom (2-1) gave up Longoria’s home run.
In other AL action, it was:
‧ Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 1
‧ Tigers 10, Twins 6
‧ Royals 5, Orioles 0
‧ Athletics 12, Astros 5
‧ Mariners 6, Rangers 5
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, NEW YORK
Slumping Curtis Granderson grounded an RBI single to cap an improbable two-run rally with two outs in the ninth inning, sending the New York Mets past the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Friday night.
After Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Garrett Jones hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth that put the Marlins ahead 3-2, the Mets stung Marlins closer Steve Cishek.
Cishek (1-1) had converted a team-record 33 straight save chances — the longest active streak in the majors — before Lucas Duda led off the ninth with a single and moved up on a sacrifice.
Left fielder Christian Yelich then made a nice running catch on pinch-hitter Bobby Abreu’s liner for the second out. Omar Quintanilla followed with a single down the line and Yelich slipped on the dirt as he got ready to throw home, letting Duda score standing up.
NATIONALS 11, PADRES 1
In Washington, Bryce Harper drove in a career-high four runs before leaving the game, while Stephen Strasburg pitched seven scoreless innings as the Nationals defeated the Padres.
Harper drove in a run with an infield single in the first and had a bases-loaded triple in the third. Following his headfirst dive into third base on the triple, Harper flexed his left wrist.
He was later replaced in left field by Nate McLouth to start the fifth inning. No announcement was made regarding whether Harper was injured.
Anthony Rendon had a career-high four hits for Washington.
Strasburg (2-2) allowed seven hits and walked two, but struck out 11. He turned in his second straight effective start, lowering his ERA from 5.33 to 4.24.
San Diego’s Robbie Erlin (1-3) allowed eight runs and 13 hits over 5-1/3 innings.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ Braves 5, Reds 4
‧ Cardinals 1, Pirates 0
‧ Brewers 5, Cubs 2
‧ Diamondbacks 5
‧ Rockies 5, Dodgers 4, 11 inns
In interleague play, it was:
‧ Giants 5, Indians 1
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